Senior Director (Senior Principal Scientist), Translational Medicine, Immunology

Job Description

Senior Principal Scientist (Senior Medical Director) Translational Medicine, Immunology

Translational Medicine in our Research & Development Division is responsible for planning and managing an important inflection point in the drug development process, working closely with scientific, regulatory, statistical, and modeling colleagues across the organization to translate the benchtop science of preclinical discovery into compounds ready for assessment in large clinical populations.

We are seeking a highly qualified physician-scientist with a proven track record in both the pharmaceutical industry and independent academic research for a position in our group. Please note that our Senior Principal Scientist title is also equivalent to a Senior Medical Director position.

The preferred candidate will have at least 5 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a focus on Immunology R&D, as well as clinical and academic expertise in Immunology-related areas such as Dermatology, Rheumatology, or Gastroenterology.

For our efforts supporting the Immunology development pipeline, our closest collaborations are with groups based in Boston, MA; however, we will also be open to other locations, including West Point, PA, Upper Gwynned, PA, Rahway, NJ, and San Francisco, CA.

Translational Medicine is specifically responsible for:

• Contributing to the identification of novel targets by partnering with discovery research teams to bring a clinical insight into the earliest stages of target identification and validation, and executing clinical studies to evaluate the relevance of potential targets to human disease in order to justify investment in full development

• Development of biomarker strategies through cross-functional teams that provide line-of-sight from First-in-Human studies through clinical Proof-of-Concept.  This includes Experimental Medicine studies to establish and/or validate novel clinical biomarker platforms.

• Development and execution of the early clinical development strategy for novel therapy/Immunology programs from Preclinical Candidate approval through clinical Proof-of-Concept (Phase 2a), and development and execution of clinical pharmacology strategies for late-stage development programs from Proof-of-Concept (Phase 2a) through worldwide marketing application.

Success depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, creativity, skill, diversity, and teamwork of the people in the group. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement, and teamwork. As part of the global team, you will collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues in Translational Medicine, as well as Discovery Sciences and late-stage Clinical Research while developing and expanding your career.

This role will report directly to the Immunology Therapeutic Area Lead in Translational Medicine.

Primary responsibilities for the Senior Director (Senior Principal Scientist) include the following:

• Key member of an early development team, providing leadership in designing and executing early clinical development strategy

• Development and execution of early clinical strategy for novel Immunology assets and therapeutics including authoring initial clinical and biomarker plans for Lead Optimization programs, early clinical development plans for Preclinical Candidate molecules, Phase 1a/b trials and and clinical pharmacology studies for programs in Phases I through IV of development.

• Development and execution of studies to validate clinical platforms utilizing established and novel biomarkers, including imaging, responses to interrogate biological activity in humans.

• Provide clinical expertise for identification and validation of novel targets, including the design of preclinical and/or clinical pharmacology experiments to validate targets and/or pathways

• Safe and timely execution of Phase I studies; close collaboration with internal and external clinical study support staff and scientists (including discovery research, biostatistics, drug metabolism, modeling and simulation, regulatory affairs, and global clinical trials operations)

• Provide clinical pharmacology support for programs through the worldwide marketing application filing including supportive registration documents and presentations

• Provide clear, timely communication and interpretation of study results to therapeutic area governance, functional area experts and development review committees.

• Contribute to assessment of internal and external opportunities identified by Business Development and Licensing

• Interface broadly with key functions including Discovery Sciences, Preclinical Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toxicology, Translational Biomarkers, Translational Medicine Operations, Translational Medicine-EU, Drug Metabolism/Modeling & Simulation, Regulatory Affairs, and late-stage Clinical Research throughout sites in the USA, UK and Belgium.

Position Qualifications:

Education Minimum Requirement

• MD or MD/PhD

• At least 5-year experience in the pharmaceutical industry in clinical research, preferrable in immunology clinical research, including translational research

• An educational/career track including both independently conceived and executed research and clinical patient care experience

Required Experience and Skills:

• Proven track record in clinical research in the pharmaceutical industry

• Proven track record in clinical care of patient populations or management of clinical problem-solving, preferably in Dermatology

• Demonstrated record of scientific scholarship and achievement. Research expertise in any immunology field is preferred.

• Strong interpersonal, writing and presentation skills, as well as the ability to function in a team environment are essential.

• Board Certification or Eligibility (MD and MD/PhD) preferred

Required Skills:

Academic Research, Clinical Studies, Clinical Trial Development, Dermatology, Drug Development, Gastroenterology, Immunology, Intellectual Curiosity, Pharmaceutical Research, Rheumatology, Scientific Publications, Scientific Research, Translational Research

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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The salary range for this role is

$286,900.00 - $451,600.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

06/30/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.